Edward R. Murrow and Fred W. Friendly huddle during a break in the filming of a portion of “See It Now” on Nov. 7, 1955 at Jefferson school administration building

In 1955, Edward R. Murrow and Fred W. Friendly roamed rural and urban Jefferson County for six weeks in October and November shooting nearly 100,000 feet of film. The filming was for their “See It Now” program on CBS. This documentary on public school education featured Jeffco R-1 and Jefferson County as they readied for a school bond election.

Jeffco R-1 School District was chosen because Murrow and Friendly felt it was a “typical American system.” The Jeffco education administration faced many of the same problems as other school districts across the nation. Jeffco’s population had doubled over a 10 year period. The urban schools were overcrowded and more buildings and teachers were required.

Yet the large rural areas in Jefferson County were reluctant to support the bond issue. This would be the second multi-million dollar school bond issue in three years and if passed would bring the total up to $17,750,000.

Murrow and Friendly filmed the controversy that raged prior to the election. Jefferson County voters in Pine, Buffalo Creek, Bear Creek and Wheat Ridge were interviewed.

On the evening of the election, Murrow and Friendly headquartered in the R-1 administration building in Lakewood to film the returns. Jefferson County voters approved the $7.75 million school bond.

The 1 1/2 hour documentary aired on November 27, 1955, the day before a White House conference on school and educational needs. It was called “Ballots at Bear Creek: An Educational Western.”